


At Midnight

by AceOnIce



Series: Author Magnus / Soldier Alec AU [8]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alec Lightwood Loves Magnus Bane, Alec Lightwood has Nightmares, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Magnus Bane Loves Alec Lightwood, Mundane Alec Lightwood, Mundane Magnus Bane, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Magnus Bane, Soldier Alec Lightwood, War Veteran Alec Lightwood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-25 08:35:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22293121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceOnIce/pseuds/AceOnIce
Summary: Alec has a bad dream.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Author Magnus / Soldier Alec AU [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1596298
Comments: 9
Kudos: 329





	At Midnight

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry it's short and a bit angsty. I actually didn't plan this one, it just hit me in the middle of nowhere.  
> 

Magnus is pulled from sleep by a whimpering noise.

As soon as he's fully conscious he realizes the source of the sound is Alec, still asleep. He's curled up on his side, a hand on Magnus' shirt, clutching the fabric. There are tears staining his cheeks and he keeps letting out noises like a wounded animal. 

Magnus presses a soft hand to Alec's cheek, "Alec, wake up... Alexander, it's just a dream."

Alec jolts awake, springing into a sitting position. The tears stop falling, but he's breathing hard.

"Alexander, relax darling, it was just a nightmare."

Alec turns to look at Magnus, fear obvious on his face even in the faint light. Then, without warning, he practically collapses on top of Magnus, holding him tight, every inch of them touching as Alec presses his his head into Magnus' shoulder.

Magnus wraps his arms around his boyfriend, one of them going to his hair, combing his fingers through it. Alec is still stiff, his breathing uneven. "Do you need your anxiety medication?"

"No," Alec mumbles. He pulls back to study Magnus' face. One of his hands raises to dance his fingers over Magnus' cheek.

"You had a nightmare that's also a memory, didn't you?"

Alec makes a noise of confirmation, letting his hand fall, and curling his back so he can rest his head on Magnus' chest. "Not a real memory."

"But based on a memory?"

Alec nods.

Magnus draws his lips into a pale line. He hates those nightmares because they're more than bad dreams. He hates that Alec is still suffering. He hates that all he can do is hold him tighter.

"About Jace again? Should we call him?" Sometimes when Alec has these half-nightmare half-memories he likes to hear Jace's voice, to confirm that his adopted brother is really alive. When he's more lucid, he'll refuse, not wanting to bother Jace at an ungodly hour.

"No."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Magnus runs a hand up and down Alec's arm in soothing motions.

Alec doesn't speak for a minute. Then, "Wasn't Jace."

"It wasn't?" 

Alec shakes his head where it's resting on Magnus' chest. 

"Another soldier?" Magnus guesses. He knows Alec wasn't as close to anyone else as he was, and still is, to Jace, but he has watched plenty of men he knew die right in front of him, in his arms. 

Another shake of his head. He curls in closer and realization hits Magnus like a truck.

"It was about me."

Alec nods, presses a hand onto Magnus' chest, next to his face. He's feeling Magnus' heartbeat, listening to it. 

Magnus' chest hurts with the understanding. Alec had a nightmare that he had died. Likely right in front of him. Probably a mirror image of a death Alec has actually witnessed. 

"I'm so sorry sayang." Magnus only uses the term of endearment in very special, rare, situations. One of the few Indonesian words his mother taught him. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Just stay here with me."

Magnus has a feeling he's not just talking about tonight. He cranes his neck down to press a kiss to the top of Alec's head. "Always."

Neither of them get much sleep after that, but Magnus feels Alec relaxing against him eventually and that's enough for now.


End file.
